A flavonoid-rich extract of orange juice reduced oxidative stress in an experimental model of inflammatory bowel disease

Flavonoids may be effective in preventing chronic degenerative diseases linked to oxidative stress, which in turn is involved in the etiopathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease. This study was designed to assess the effects of a flavonoid-rich extract of orange juice (OJe) in mice exposed to experimental colitis. Four days of intracolonic injection of dinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (DNBS) caused colitis in mice. Daily oral administration of OJe decreased the loss of body weight caused by DNBS, lowered neutrophil infiltration, nitrotyrosine and PAR stainings, both TNF-a and IL-1b generation, nuclear NF-jB translocation, levels of ICAM-1 and P-selectin as well as increased MPO activity, enhanced MnSOD expression and modulated that of Bcl-2 and Bax. Our results indicate that OJe may be used as functional food in case of colonic oxidative stress-induced inflammation, representing a new healthy approach to avoid ulcerative colitis.